Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes — Who doesn’t love pumpkin spice in the fall? These delicious Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes are the perfect autumn treat! They are easy to make and so decadent and chocolatey. You will love them!

Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
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As the days grow shorter and the leaves start to turn, it can only mean one thing: Pumpkin Spice season is upon us! And with pumpkin spice comes all things pumpkin, including these delicious Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes. These cupcakes are a perfect autumn treat, easy to make, and full of flavor. So get out your air fryer and let’s get baking!

What Are Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Chocolate pumpkin cupcakes are a type of dessert that is made with both chocolate and pumpkin-flavored ingredients. They can be made from scratch or with a mix, and often include chocolate chips or chunks in the batter.

The resulting cupcake is moist and fluffy, with a deep chocolate flavor that is offset by the sweetness of the pumpkin. These cupcakes are typically garnished with a simple frosting, such as buttercream or cream cheese, and they make an excellent fall dessert. Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or simply want to indulge in something sweet, chocolate pumpkin cupcakes are sure to please.

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
  • Flour: I used all-purpose flour. If you want to cook these gluten-free you can substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour.
  • Sugar: I used plain, white granulated sugar.
  • Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder, this way your cupcakes are not too sweet.
  • Baking Powder: Helps make your cupcakes fluffy.
  • Ground Cinnamon: Adds a bit of spice, to your cupcakes.
  • Milk: You can use whole milk, oat milk, or almond milk.
  • Pumpkin: Use canned pumpkin puree
  • Oil: You can use canola or vegetable oil.
  • Eggs: Use large, room-temperature eggs.
  • Vanilla; Use pure vanilla extract, for the best flavor.

How To Cook Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes In The Air Fryer

Grease or line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and ground cinnamon.

How To Cook Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes In The Air Fryer

In another bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until combined– you don’t want to overmix! Divide the batter between the muffin tins, filling each one ¾ of the way full.

Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Set the temperature to 320 degrees and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients Needed For Chocolate Buttercream

Do you want to make a delicious chocolate buttercream frosting? If so, you’ll need some specific ingredients.

Ingredients Needed For Chocolate Buttercream
  • Butter: Use room temperature unsalted butter.
  • Powdered Sugar: Make sure it’s sifted, before adding it to the mixer.
  • Chocolate: Melt per the package instructions.,
  • Vanilla; For best results, use pure vanilla extract

How To Make Chocolate Buttercream

How To Make Chocolate Buttercream

Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy– about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar.

Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until the frosting comes to light and fluffy– about 1 minute.

Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Pipe the cupcakes as desired.

Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients Notes:

  • Flour is the base of our cupcakes. Make sure to measure using the spoon and level method so you don’t add too much flour (which can result in dry cupcakes).
  • Sugar helps sweeten the cupcakes!
  • Make sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, not hot cocoa mix.
  • Baking powder helps the cupcakes rise.
  • Cinnamon helps enhance the pumpkin flavor in cupcakes. You can also use pumpkin pie spice if you prefer!
  • Milk helps thin the batter so the cupcakes aren’t too thick.
  • Pumpkin puree adds pumpkin flavor and extra moisture.
  • Vegetable oil keeps the cupcakes moist and prevents them from drying out.
  • Eggs bind the cupcakes together so they don’t become too crumbly.
  • Vanilla enhances the flavor of the cocoa and pumpkin.
  • Butter is the base of the frosting– make sure it’s fully softened or you’ll end up with lumpy frosting.
  • Powdered sugar gives our frosting sweetness and structure. Sifting your powdered sugar can help remove lumps to ensure a smooth frosting.
  • I used semi-sweet chocolate chips that were melted and cooled, but feel free to use any kind you like! Just make sure the chocolate is fully cooled so it doesn’t melt the butter.

How To Store Cupcakes

Airtight storage is the key to keeping your cupcakes fresh. You can use a variety of airtight containers such as Tupperware, Rubbermaid, Gladware, or even zip-top bags.

Line the bottom of the container with wax paper or parchment paper to prevent sticking. If you are stacking your cupcakes, place a sheet of wax or parchment paper between each layer. Be sure to label your container with the contents and date. Cupcakes are best eaten within 3-5 days of being made.

Frosted cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week. If you need to store cupcakes for longer than that, they can be frozen and unfrosted for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen cupcakes overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving.

What Cupcake Pan To Use In The Air Fryer

What Cupcake Pan To Use In The Air Fryer is a very popular question these days. There are many different types of cupcake pans on the market, so how do you know which one to buy? Some of my favorites are below:

Basket Air Fryer Models: HYTK 4 Cup Muffin Pan 2 Pcs ( 8.5 X 7.48 Inch ) Air Fryer Small Oven Cupcake Baking Pan Non-Stick No Toxic Bakeware

Instant Pot Vortex Models: Muffin & Cupcake Pan (12 cups) – Mini Muffin Pan With Handles – Nonstick European Grade Silicone With Quick Release

Oven Air Fryer Models: Silicone Muffin Pans Nonstick 12 Cup, 2.5-inch Silicone Cupcake Pan – Set of 2 – SILIVO Muffin Tin, Silicone Baking Molds for Homemade Muffins, Cupcakes, Quiches, and Frittatas – 12 Cup Muffin Tray

More Air Fryer Dessert Recipes:

Looking for more air fryer dessert recipes? Whether you’re craving something sweet and crunchy or rich and decadent, there’s an air fryer dessert recipe for you.

For a crispy treat, try air fryer cinnamon sugar donuts. These bite-sized donuts are coated in a sweet cinnamon sugar mixture, then fried to perfection in the air fryer. Serve them warm with a dollop of cashew butter or almond butter for an extra special treat.

If you’re in the mood for something chocolatey, try these air fryer chocolate chip cookies. They’re made with just a few simple ingredients and come together in minutes. The chocolate chips get all melty and gooey in the air fryer, making them irresistible. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a truly delicious dessert.

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Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

5 from 4 votes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings

Description

Halloween is just around the corner and that means one thing – pumpkin everything! These Air Fryer Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes are the perfect sweet treat for fall. They're fluffy, chocolatey, and full of pumpkin flavor. Plus, they're so easy to make and only require a few simple ingredients. So get your air fryer ready and let's get baking!

Ingredients 

For the Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes

  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Buttercream:

  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 ounces chocolate, melted and cooled
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Grease or line 12 muffin tins with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and ground cinnamon.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the milk, pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk just until combined– you don’t want to overmix! Divide the batter between the muffin tins, filling each one ¾ of the way full.
  • Set the temperature to 320 degrees and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

How To Make The Chocolate Buttercream:

  • Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy– about 1 minute. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar.
  • Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the melted chocolate and vanilla and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until the frosting comes to light and fluffy– about 1 minute.
  • Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip. Pipe the cupcakes as desired.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Muffin Tin

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 4gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 122mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 1gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 1370IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 1mg

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